In the complex and politically charged world of high-speed internet
access, this is a landmark agreement. Traditionally, content providers
like Netflix — which streams TV shows and movies over the net — have not
paid for direct access to consumers who use home internet connections
from ISPs like Comcast, and the move has sparked countless questions
about what the arrangement means for the future of the internet, with
many asking whether Comcast and other big internet providers will have
too much control over what travels across the networks.

The wildcard here is that Comcast isn’t just a company that
ultimately delivers services like Netflix. As the owner of TV and movie
giant NBCUniversal, it also competes with services like Netflix. The
concern is that Comcast has the power to quickly deliver its own content
over its own network, while charging extra for others to use the
network — a situation that could prevent smaller and newer outfits from
competing.